In this episode, we begin by remembering Faten Ben Omar El Azizi, the Tetouan player who tragically lost her life while attempting to swim to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Her story is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers many people face in pursuit of a better future, and we take a moment to reflect on her life and the wider issues surrounding her passing.

We then dive into all the latest WAFCON action, where the race for the knockout stages is heating up.

Day two of WAFCON has provided our very first upset as Tanzania beats South Africa 2=1. In the other group B game Ivory Coast took care of a young Burkina Faso, 4-1.

WAFCON hosts Morocco kicked off their campaign in dominant fashion, thrashing Kenya, who are making their return to the tournament for the first time since WAFCON 2016.

Morocco raced into a 3-0 lead before halftime. Sakina Diki opened the scoring before celebrating with a dance at the corner flag. Defender Maryame Atiq doubled the lead with a headed finish, and veteran striker Ibtissam Jraïdi took over from there. Jraïdi netted a brace to begin her WAFCON campaign as the Atlas Lionesses cruised to a commanding 4-0 victory.

Earlier in the day, Algeria's Desert Foxes proved more clinical than Senegal, securing a 2-0 win thanks to goals from captain Marine Dafeur and Washington Spirit newcomer Mélissa Bethi.

Morocco top Group A with three points and a +4 goal difference, while Algeria sit second with three points and a +2 goal difference.

If you've ever wondered why Nigeria dominated the early Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), winning the first five tournaments and building a record 10 continental titles, or how countries like Morocco and South Africa have transformed women's football in recent years, this episode is for you.

Welcome back to The African Wave in the NWSL. I'm Mohamed, and in this episode we take a journey through the history of women's football in Africa with Dr. Chuka Onwumechili, author of Women's Football in Africa..

Tamerra Griffin from The Athletic joins me to discuss the African Wave in the regular season. Players like Gift Monday and Kouassi are adding the fun, swag, and baller factor to the league, currently having a blast, and hopefully to end the season with a trophy. Having adapted their game to the NWSL, but how do player get their style and players' identity from?

Tamerra helps us understand how media can humanise players as the African Wave pushes the narrative to be more global. If you stick around long enough, she also drops some nuggets and exclusives!

In this episode, we dive into the highs and lows of the NWSL regular season through the lens of the African wave shaping the league. Are clubs, in their hunt for the next Banda, Chawinga, or Kundananji, misprofiling African players and unintentionally stalling careers? We unpack that question, along with the growing pressures African players face as family breadwinners — and what support the league should be offering for life beyond football.

We also look closely at Barbra Banda’s injury and whether WAFCON, heavy travel, and scheduling demands may have contributed to it. Plus: standout performers from this season and the rising talents NWSL teams should have on their radar.

This is part one of a two-part conversation. Next up: Tamerra Griffin — journalist for The Athletic covering the women’s game worldwide and host of the weekly Full Time podcast.